Administrative Assistant Skills

Use a simple, clean format that highlights your skills and experiences. Focus on readability by using bullet points and short phrases to present your skills. Properly organize your resume into education, experience, and skills sections.

“Adding a skills section to your resume is a great way to draw the recruiter’s attention to your most relevant strengths and competencies.”

– Ashley Watkins, NCRW, NCOPE, Job Search Coach

For example, an administrative assistants’s bullet points might look like this:

• Managed calendars and scheduled appointments for multiple executives
• Coordinated travel arrangements for business trips and events
• Maintained efficient filing systems for easy access to important documents

Use numbers to quantify your achievements wherever possible. This helps potential employers understand your abilities and the impact you can have on their organization.

“Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for relevancy of how and when you applied those skills, so provide examples of this in your experience section. Bonus tip: Don’t just insert the skill like a task–include results.”

– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter

Example:

• Streamlined document management system, saving the company 10 hours per week
• Improved customer satisfaction ratings by 15% through effective communication and problem-solving skills
• Reduced expenses by 20% through effective inventory management and supply ordering

Read the description carefully and emphasize the relevant skills and experiences. Highlight the skills that the employer seeks and provide examples of how you’ve used those skills in your previous roles. Doing so can demonstrate that you’re a strong fit for the position and increase your chances of being invited to an interview.

“The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work when it comes to your resume. For every job application, tailor your skill set to match the job description. Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that filter candidates based on keywords and skills listed in the job description. So, research the role you’re applying for and distill the skills required.”

– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor

In order to do this, “you must first understand what skills are most important for the target role,” says Ashley Watkins.

Here’s an example of how to tailor an administrative assistant resume to a job description:

Job Description: Medical Administrative Assistant at a Hospital

Requirements: Experience in managing patient records, scheduling appointments, and coordinating with medical professionals.

Tailored Resume Description:

• As an experienced medical administrative assistant, I’m passionate about providing exceptional patient care.
• I’ve managed patient records, scheduled appointments, and coordinated with medical professionals at various hospitals.
• I’m proficient in using electronic medical records systems like Epic and Cerner, and I’ve managed patient information and records accurately and efficiently.
• I’ve scheduled and confirmed hundreds of appointments, ensuring patients receive timely care.
• In my previous role, I prepared medical reports and maintained accurate records, reducing errors by 20%.
• I’ve also assisted medical professionals in providing exceptional patient care, which resulted in a patient satisfaction rating of 95%.
• I’m dedicated to providing excellent administrative support in the healthcare industry.
• My passion for patient care, combined with my proficiency in electronic medical records and scheduling, make me a strong candidate for the role of medical administrative assistant at your hospital.

“Focus on the sought-after and in demand skills. A great way to figure out what is currently in demand is by researching current job openings from your preferred companies and reading through the posting. Pay close attention to the preferred requirements section and build your skills section based on this list.”

– Chelsea Jay, Career & Leadership Development Coach – Seasoned and Growing

If you’re applying for a role requiring a broad skillset, categorize your skills.

“If you opt to include a designated skills section on your resume, include up to 10 of your core competencies. Excessive skills lists are overwhelming and sometimes confusing to the reader.”

– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter

For example, someone applying for a role as an administrative assistant might benefit from segmenting their skill lists as follows:

Administrative

• Filing
• Scheduling
• Microsoft Office

Client Relationships

• Customer Service
• Interpersonal
• Written and Verbal Communication

Start each bullet point with an action verb. An action verb expresses an action, such as “create,” “build,” “manage,” “lead,” or “implement.”

Action verbs grab the reader’s attention and paint a vivid picture of what you accomplished at work.

Action verbs make your resume more interesting to read. They also show the kind of can-do attitude that employers are looking for.